When a Hindu devotee went to Karbala

Pilgrims march to Karbala during the Arbaeen ritual in Baghdad PHOTO/AFP

“If there is a calling, it doesn’t see your religion, but your love and your bond,” says Ravi Shankar, a Hindu devotee of Imam Hussain (ra).

Despite the difference of faith, Shankar is a staunch follower of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Interestingly, he is among the few non-Muslims in Pakistan who address mourning gatherings during the holy month of Muharram.

Shankar calls himself a part time ‘Zakir’. “Though I am a Hindu, my beliefs also make me an Ahl-e-Tashi (a Shia school of thought).

For years, the 65-year-old Hindu addresses Majalis in different cities of Punjab and Sindh provinces, reading Rubaye of Mirza Dabeer, Mir Anees and Devi Roop Kumari during the majalis in Muharram.

This year, however, he took on a journey to historic Karbala, where the fateful incident that led to the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (ra) took place.

Shankar is currently on a pilgrimage in Iraq, a country full of religiously-significant sites for Shia Muslims around the world.

Shankar started his journey from a small town of Chachro in Tharparkar to Karbala, the resting place of Imam Hussain (ra).

“Now, I have finally become a ‘Zawar’ (one who performs pilgrimage) with the blessing of Imam Hussain (ra),” the 65-year-old proudly told The Express Tribune over the phone from Karbala.

“I am an Azadar-e-Hussain (mourner of Imam Hussain (ra)),” he quickly adds in the same breath.

It took him seven hours to reach Karachi by road from where he took a direct flight to Najaf on November 1 with a group of 15 Muslim devotees. From Najaf, they went to Karbala on foot.

“It took us three days and nights to cover a distance of 80 kilometers from Najaf to Karbala by walking,” he said, adding the group finally reached their destination on November 8.

Walking from one Iraqi city to the other – Najaf to Karbala – during Chehlum (called Arabin in Iraq) is a tradition followed by the pilgrims for centuries.

“It was a strenuous journey that was taken up by millions of people along us and was worth it during which we realized what Bibi Zainab (ra) would have gone through after the fateful incident of Karbala,” he added.

Shankar, who recently retired from a government job, did his graduation in Muslim History in 2000. He says his obsession with the family of the Prophet (pbuh) drove him to pursue the subject.

Warm reception

On the way between Najaf and Karbala, the devotees were warmly welcomed.

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